One Bittersweet Summer Day
by xxhrmgne18
Summary: When Kurt dies, Cody finds a different way of coping with the sudden loss.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! I'm new here. I made this story because I don't know...I just felt like it. I love TSL very much. **

**I got the idea from a 'That 70's Show' eppy and a Mariah Carey song. I don't both shows, the characters and whatever I'm not supposed to own. **

**This is my first time so please go easy on me! I'd appreciate it if you liked the story or try to help me. Thank you. **

**Oh, and enjoy!**

Carey sat on the couch, reading a magazine. It was the beginning of summer and the afternoon sun shone through the window. The boys should be back soon. The front door opened and Carey looked up as her sons burst in nosily with their dad.

"Hey mom!" Zack said, with a big grin on his pink face. He looked as if he had been running. Cody headed to one of the seats in the living room and slumped down.

"What happened to you?" Carey asked him.

"Zack beat me again" Cody pouted.

"Aww…" Carey said, all too familiar with the situation.

"Hey Carey"

Carey turned around to see her ex-husband standing beside Zack. He had Zack's big grin and his hands were in his pockets.

"Hey" Carey said, walking over to him and giving him a peck on the cheek.

"How were the boys?" Carey asked. "Didn't give you any trouble, did they?"

"Well…" Kurt said, hesitating a little bit. "Let's just say we got in trouble together and they're fine"

"Like father, like son" Carey said. "Sons, I mean"

"When will we see you again, dad?" Zack asked. Cody got up and headed over to Zack.

"Next week" Kurt told him. "You boys will see me at four"

"Great!" Zack said. Cody smiled.

"One big hug" Kurt said. They boys immediately rushed into Kurt's outstretched arms, almost knocking their dad down.

"Easy" Carey said. Kurt chuckled.

"Boys will always be boys eh?" he said, heading out the door.

"See you next week" Kurt said.

"See ya" Carey said, smiling before closing the door.

Summer days seem to move by very quickly and soon, the first week of summer became the second and the boys started looking forward to their dad's visit. That morning, Carey woke up with a strange feeling in her stomach. She headed to the twins' room and watched her two boys sleep. They looked so peaceful. How different that was when the boys were awake and causing havoc around the Tipton. The feeling in Carey's stomach disappeared for awhile. Cody grunted and stirred, mumbling the word 'dad'. Then, the strange feeling returned. Carey sighed.

_If I'm gonna be jealous, might as well be_, Carey thought to herself as she headed to the kitchen to make breakfast.

"He's late!" Zack exclaimed. He scooped up a pile of papers and let go. Papers flew everywhere, all over the living room.

"Hey!" Cody yelled. "That's my homework!"

"It's summer!" Zack yelled back. "What do you need homework for?!"

"I'm taking advanced classes" Cody said. "'Cause unlike you, I actually want to be successful in life!"

"You're a big ner-"

"Boys!" Carey yelled. Both Zack and Cody turned to look at their mother at the same time.

"Can't we ever have one moment of peace?" Carey asked. The phone rang and she headed to pick it up.

"Hello?" Carey said as Zack gave Cody a shove, almost knocking him over. Cody gave his brother a fierce look. The boys quietly fought behind their mother's back.

"Oh no…" they both heard Carey say. The boys turned to see their mom slumped down the couch, with her right palm slapped against her forehead.

"Mom, what is it?" Zack asked.

"Dad can't come, can he?" Cody asked.

"Alright" Carey said, ignoring the boys. Her face was a deep shade of pink.

Carey hang up and looked at her sons.

"What happened?" Zack asked.

"Guys…" Carey said, taking a deep breath. She didn't know how to break the terrible news to her sons.

"Kurt…your dad…was in a car accident" Carey said.

"I-is he okay?" Cody asked, worriedly. Carey took another deep, this time, shaky breath.

"He…he didn't make it" Carey said, ending the sentence in a whisper. It was as if some unseen force had pushed Zack to plop on the coffee table. Cody's jaw dropped.

"Yesterday, Friday night, he was out with his buddies and he…"

Carey stopped to take a deep breath.

"He had too much to drink before driving…" Carey continued. Zack started hitting himself on the face.

"Honey?" Carey said, getting up to stop Zack. "What are you doing?"

"Maybe this is all a dream and I'll wake up soon" Zack said. There were red patches on his face. Carey took both boys in her arms.

"I wish we'd all wake up soon"


	2. Chapter 2

Two days later and everyone realized it was no dream. Despite that, the family of tree stood, dazed as whatever the priest said went in and out of their ears. Cody sat at the edge of the pew, then Carey then Zack. Everyone at the Tipton had come to attend the solemn rites.

After the ceremony, the priest gave the family a moment before they could carry the coffin out. Maddie approached the Martin's. Her eyes were red and swollen. Zack hid his face from Maddie. He looked as bad as she did, even worse (and since it was him who lost a father, who could blame him?) and he didn't want her to see him in such a state.

"Oh, Zack" Maddie said, wrapping her arms around the fourteen-year-old. No one could tell who of the two were sobbing harder. Carey sighed and turned to look at Cody. He wasn't beside her.

Everything seemed to be so surreal. Cody still couldn't believe that his dad was gone even if he could clearly see Kurt's placid face in front of him.

"Cody?" Carey said, approaching him. They both stared at Kurt's pale, peaceful face.

Most of the people had gone outside for the burial rites. All except their little family. Cody sighed. He wanted to cry. He just couldn't. He hasn't shed a tear and it bothered him. No one could understand what he was feeling. Even he himself couldn't. Zack watched the both of them or at least whatever he could see through his tears before all three of them were ushered outside.

White rose petals fell on a mahogany surface before rich brown soil was piled over it. Carey let out a huge shaky sigh as she squeezed her boys.

"I'm very sorry for you lost" Mr. Moesby said, quietly. Maddie gave Carey a box of homemade pie that she made. London had offered them cash, which Carey declined.

Esteban offered them a basket of fruits. Muriel handed Cody a large basket of potatoes.

"My condolences" she said.

"Thank you, Muriel" Carey said.

"If there's anything else you need…" Muriel said.

"How's about cleaning our suite for once?!" Zack asked. The way he said it wasn't in the usual joke-y way he usually used.

"Zack!" Carey warned. Zack rolled his eyes and looked away.

"I'm so sorry" Carey told Muriel. "It's been hard on all of us and…"

"That's okay" Muriel said, waving it off. "I understand"

Muriel walked away as Carey turned to Cody. They both held in their arms all the food everyone had given them. There was more in the shuttle they had rented.

"Let's go home, huh?" Carey said. Zack started walking and Carey chased after him.

"I can't wait to cook these" Cody said, staring down at the huge basket of potatoes he could hardly hold up.

The door of Suite 2330 burst open and Zack walked in, fuming.

"That was no way to talk to Muriel or anybody, Zack!" Carey said, following behind him.

Cody lagged behind with the basket of potatoes. Zack headed to the couch, sat down with a scowl.

"Honey, I know you're hurting" Carey said, gently as she sat down beside him. "Everyone is. It's just…being impolite is not the way to deal with things"

Zack sighed. He knew his mother was right and besides, he was tired of arguing. He sighed as his expression softened.

"Don't make me more worried about you than I already am" Carey said, wrapping her arms around her older son. Zack rested his head on his mother's chest and closed his eyes.

"Okay" he whispered.

"WHOOO-HOOO!" Cody suddenly yelled from the kitchen area.

"Come on you carrot sticks! SIZZLE!"

Startled, Carey and Zack both turned to the kitchen area.

"I think you'd better worry more about him" Zack told his mother. Carey secretly agreed.

To Carey's surprise, Cody whipped up a lovely dinner for them that night. He was a great cook (though no one was really sure where or whom he got that skill from)

"Lemon pepper chicken fillets, buttered vegetables and English clam chowder" Cody said. Zack's face brightened.

"These are good!" Carey said between mouthfuls. Cody grinned.

"No hats on the table please" Carey said. Cody's face fell as he took off his chef hat.

"This is great!" Zack said, taking another big spoonful before gagging on it.

"Whoa!" Carey said, handing Zack a glass of water.

"Easy, boy" Cody said, teasingly. Zack made a gesture as if he was going to spit water was in his mouth to Cody. A look of fear spread across Cody's face.

"Zack!" Carey warned again.


	3. Chapter 3

It's been three days since Kurt's passing Zack and Cody headed down the elevator to the lobby. Several kids from their school were waiting there. Zack gracefully accept the gifts, pats on the back from his friends and words of condolences.

"Oh, Cody" Barbara said. "I'm so sorry for what happened"

"I-It's okay" Cody said.

"How are you feeling?" Barbara asked.

"I don't know…" Cody said, sighing. Three feet away, another kid asked Zack the same question.

"It was really sudden" Cody told Barbara. "He said we were gonna see him again next week…and we did…only he was in a box"

"Oh…" was all Barbara could say.

"What he said" Zack told the other kid. They had all heard what Cody said.

"Oh, Cody" Barbara said. "Here!"

She handed him a small box. Inside was a paper, full of numbers and letters.

"It's a code" Barbara told him. "You have to decipher it"

"Hey! I know this!" Cody exclaimed. Zack rolled his eyes and continued talking with other kids. Soon, his mind began working as he started decoding Barbara's secret message.

"When…you…need…me…I'll…always…be…there…for…you" Cody read. He looked up at Barbara.

"Thank you" he said. Barbara saw the gratefulness and his eyes and gave him a hug. Cody closed his eyes as he returned the hug. He heard some kids go "Awww…"

"Hey, Cody!" Zack said, slapping his brother's back. Cody let go of Barbara and faced his brother. He was a little annoyed that Zack disturbed his "moment" with Barbara.

"Come on" Zack said, cheerfully. Then, he turned back to their friends from school.

"Thanks for everything you guys" Zack said. Cody waved as the kids started to leave.

"Wow!" Maddie said as the twins approached her candy counter. "That's a huge support system you've got"

"Yeah" Zack said as Cody headed to one of the seats. He stared at Barbara's gift.

"So, how are you guys doing?" Maddie asked, concerned.

"We're okay, sweet thang" Zack said, flashing his usual grin. Maddie would usually roll her eyes at Zack after he calls her "sweet thang" but not today. Maddie was just glad that Zack was almost back to his normal self.

"That's great 'cause you looked so bent out of shape during the funeral" Maddie said. "Which is very normal" she added quickly.

"I know…I wish I was like Cody" Zack said. Maddie looked confused.

"Why?" she asked.

"He has a heart of stone" Zack told Maddie.

"Why's that?" Maddie asked, looking surprised.

"Remember when all of us had red, swollen eyes and everything?" Zack asked. Maddie nodded.

"Cody hasn't shed one single tear!" Zack told Maddie. Her jaw dropped.

"That's…odd" Maddie said. "But maybe's that's just his way of coping"

"And he's acting all neurotic like Arwin" Zack said.

"Wow!" Maddie said.

"What do you mean 'Wow!'?" Zack asked.

"You used a big word!" Maddie told him. Zack rolled his eyes. A customer arrived and Maddie proceeded to entertain the old lady who wanted three chocolate bars.

Zack headed to Cody along with Esteban.

"So, you little blonde peoples don't have tricks up your sleeve today?" Esteban asked. Since he was often the butt of jokes, he wasn't used to nothing embarrassing happening to him.

"We just don't feel like it" Zack said, shrugging.

"Why not?" Esteban asked, looking clueless.

"Esteban, our dad just died" Cody said, looking up at Esteban before looking back down at Barbara's gift.

"Oh yeah" Esteban said, heading to Mr. Moesby.

"And you should enjoy it while it lasts" Mr. Moesby said.

"Come on" Zack said, grabbing Cody. "Lunch time"

"Coming!"

Carey headed to the door and opened it. Derek stood outside the door, wearing a tux, looking disheveled as he usually did.

"Hey Derek" Zack said. He remembered Derek from when he snuck out to his dad's bus and joined the band on tour.

"Hey…Zack" Derek said, pausing to remember the fourteen-year-old's name.

"Hey Derek" Carey said. "What brings you here?"

"I came to give you this" Derek said, handing Carey a piece of paper. "I thought you might want to have it"

"What is this?" Carey asked, reading what was written on the paper. It was like some kind of poem.

"It was the new song Kurt was working on before he…you know.." Derek said, rubbing his nose.

"Oh, my god" Carey said, cupping her mouth with her palm.

"What is it, mom?" Cody asked.

"…_And I always dream about the sexy blonde, the one with the angel's voice and two great boys. I'll never forget the happiness they gave me_" Carey read.

"He was singing about us" Carey said, her eyes welling up. She turned to Derek.

"Oh, don't do that!" Derek said, covering his face.

"Do what?" Carey asked.

"Cry?" Derek said. "I can't bear to see a woman cry"

"My dead ex-husband just wrote a song about me and my boys and you expect me not to cry?!" Carey asked with disbelief.

"Now, I'd rather see you cry then having you yell at me" Derek said. Carey's expression softened.

"Thank you for bringing this here" Carey said. "We all appreciate it"

"Hey, there's more!" Cody exclaimed.

"…_After all that I've done, I hope them three don't hate me, still have silly old me in their hearts _" Zack read.

Zack looked up at his mother. He looked like he was going to follow Carey and cry.

"That last part didn't rhyme with anything" Derek said, shrugging. Carey rolled her eyes. Sometimes, people were too dense.

"Well, I gotta go" Derek said. "I need to feed my pet chicken"

"Which reminds me!" Cody said. "I haven't started making dinner yet!"

Cody ran to the kitchen as Carey gently closed the door behind Derek.

"You okay?" Carey asked Zack, who was staring blankly at the piece of paper.

"So, dad still loved you?" Zack asked. Carey shrugged. Kurt had hurt her so much before. It was hard to tell especially when he wasn't around to be asked anymore.

"I don't know…" Carey said, heading to the couch.

"But mom!" Zack cried, chasing after Carey. "The song said he still thinks about you!"

"Honey" Carey sighed, sitting down on the couch. Zack sat in front of Carey, on the coffee table.

"He was probably intoxicated when he wrote that" Carey said.

"Intox-what?" Zack asked.

"Intoxicated…you know, drunk!" Carey said.

"Ooohh…" Zack said, nodding slowly. Then, he stopped, sighed and looked down at the piece of paper.

"Do you still love dad?" Zack asked. Carey took Zack by the shoulders.

"Let's put it this way. Your dad has done a lot of things I can't forgive him for yet. We love each other as friends do. I just can't make myself love him the way a wife loves her husband"

"If he didn't die…" Zack said. "Would you have given him a chance? I-if he finished that song?"

"Well…" Carey said. "I can't really say…Maybe. But that's hard to tell now since he's gone"

"But what if he sent you a message from the great beyond?" Zack asked, getting that manic look in his face.

"A what?" Carey asked, confused. Zack shoved the piece of paper to his mom's face.

"This!" Zack said. "What if it's a message?"

"Zack…I just want to say-"

"DINNER'S READY!" Cody yelled.

"How nice!" Zack said, sarcastically as Carey got up to have dinner. Cody's cooking just got better everyday. Now, it's potatoes, grilled fish with who-knows-what but it's great.


	4. Chapter 4

That night, Carey was sitting on the couch, browsing through her wedding album. There was a knock on the door and she headed to open it as the boys headed to their room.

"Good evening" a man said. He wore a suit, carried a suitcase and had a black mustache. "Is Carey martin here?"

"You're talking to her" Carey said. The man cleared his throat.

"Good evening" he said again. "I'm Tate Rosman, Kurt Martin's attorney"

Zack closed the bedroom door behind him as Cody sat on his bed. They were in their pajamas, ready for bed.

"How come you're acting all weird lately?" Zack asked Cody. Cody looked up at his brother.

"What do you mean I'm acting all weird?" Cody asked, feeling rage brewing inside of him.

"I mean" Zack said. "You doing all that cooking and not crying when dad died and it's like…it's like you don't love him!" Zack said. Cody's eyes narrowed as he stood up and approached Zack.

"Don't you ever, EVER say I don't love dad!" Cody said as fiercely as he could. Zack actually backed away, looking fearful.

"Don't you dare, you got me?!" Cody asked, grabbing Zack's shirt.

"What's going on here?!" Carey asked, peaking through the door.

"CODY!" Carey exclaimed. Cody forcefully let go of Zack, who almost lost his balance.

"No more fighting!" Carey said, deciding that she's talk to the boys later.

"And crying is for whimps!" Cody told Zack in a rough whisper before heading to bed.

"Leave me alone, Zack"

"Fine!" Zack said, shrugging as he headed to bed and turned out the light. Cody could feel his eyes sting but he blinked back the tears.

_No crying_, he told himself.

Carey closed the door behind Attorney Rosman and started at the papers she was holding. Kurt had bequeathed all his belongings to her and the boys. Carey headed to the twins' bedroom and opened the door. She was surprised to find them asleep already.

The next night, Carey headed to the boys' bedroom with three small mugs of hot choco.

"Hot choco!" Zack said, excitedly. The twins hurried over to their mom and each took a mug.

"How are my boys?" Carey said, sitting on Zack's bed. Zack and his feet in his blanket. Cody sat beside his twin brother, sipping from his mug.

"We're okay" Zack said.

"I have something that will make you feel much better" Carey said. "Your dad left his entire inheritance to us"

"How much is it worth?" Zack asked.

"Let's just say we can afford to live in our own house now" Carey said.

"Wow!" Zack exclaimed. Cody was speechless. He looked dumbfounded.

"So…we're leaving the Tipton?" Cody asked. Carey shrugged.

"Do you guys want to move?" Carey asked. "It's all in your hands"

"No way!" Zack yelled. "I love it here!"

"That's 'cause Maddie's here" Cody said, rolling his eyes.

"What about you, Cody?" Carey asked. Zack held his breath, waiting for Cody's response.

"I like it here" Cody said. "I don't want to move"

"It's done then" Carey said. "This is our home"

The boys cheered and Carey left the both of them in the room. Zack turned to Cody. Cody gave him a smile before taking a sip of his hot chocolate. Zack grinned. Their fight the night before was all forgiven.

Cody slowly got out of bed. He turned to look out the window. The sun shone through it and he could hear birds chirping. He could smell breakfast. He could hear Zack and his mother's lively voices outside the room but he didn't feel great.

"Good morning Cody!" Carey said, setting two plates of omelet in front of each of the two boys.

"Morning…" Cody said, groggily.

"G'morning, Codery" Zack said, with that annoying goofy grin that Cody wanted to punch out of hid face.

"Codery?" Cody asked.

"You always call me Zachary" Zack said. "Fine! Good morning, Grumpy"

Cody rolled his eyes.

"Mom, I was supposed to cook!" Cody said.

"Well, you've been cooking all week so I'm taking your place" Carey said. "Now, eat!"

"Okaaay, but if I end up at the hospital…" he started before Carey gave him a warning look.

That afternoon, Carey stood out on the balcony, watching the busy streets of Boston. She decided to go back to work the next day. The breeze was relaxing and cool. She took a deep breath before realizing Zack had joined her.

"Hey baby" Carey said.

"Hey mom" Zack said, leaning against the banister. He sighed.

"You okay?" Carey asked.

"Yeah" Zack said. "I doubt Cody is though"

Cody glanced up at the kitchen clock as he mixed some batter vigorously. He's been at it for several minutes already.

He kept mixing, chopping, sautéing, glancing up at the clock every minute. Somehow, he still believed that his dad would swing by at four like he promised. Soon it was four thirty. Cody glanced at the closed door. No one was coming. Carey knew it. Zack knew it. Everyone knew it. He knew it. Suddenly, he felt like his chest were about to explode as he reached for another potato and found an empty basket.

"A-and he just cooks and everything" Zack said, looking up at his mom. "I mean, I haven't eaten anything as good as those meals he made but he's driving me crazy!"

"Didn't you like those potato dishes?" Carey asked. "I thought they were yummy!"

"No, mom" Zack said. "I mean…all he does is cook, cook and cook some more. He cooks more than a chef does!"

"Honey" Carey said, sighing. "Maybe…maybe the cooking and all…that's just his way of coping"

"That's what Maddie said" Zack said, turning to the city streets.

"Mom?"

Carey and Zack turned around to find Cody, standing, looking like a mess with flour and some batter on his face.

"What is it, sweetie?" Carey asked, approaching Cody. His lip trembled and his eyes swam.

"I'm…I'm all out of potatoes" Cody said, broke down in shuddering sobs. Carey threw her arms around him and squeezed him tight.

"Well, it just so happens I'm going to run to the mart now to get some" Carey said, glancing at Zack worriedly. "What else do you need, sweetie?"

Cody looked up at Carey, tears streaming down his face.

"I want my dad" he said. Carey squeezed Cody.

"Sweetie…" Carey said with a small relieved smile on her face. "You know I can't buy that at the supermarket"

"I know" Cody sobbed.

Zack walked towards Cody and his mom. It was so ironic how he was smiling and yet tears were streaming down his face.

"You think I'm a wimp, don't you?" Cody asked. Zack shook his head.

"I'm just so glad you're normal" Zack said.

Carey placed her arm around Zack and the three of them shared a group hug.

A black and white image of Kurt smiling before turning around and walking away. It was also dramatic and in slow motion. A happy-sad song played in the background.

"Arwin?" Carey asked, looking up. Startled, Arwin looked down from the balcony above them. He had a projector in one hand and a CD player in the other.

"Oh, hi" he said, with that goofy grin of his.

"What are you doing?!" Carey asked.

"Great isn't it?" Arwin said, playing the image of Kurt again. The boys looked up, smiling through their tears. They might have lost one of the most important people of their lives but they still had so many people left on earth who love and care for them. And they were not going to take any of them for granted.

Note: Hi! **PLEASE REVIEW**! I'm still really new at this thing. I'd appreciate it if you liked the story. Thanks so much for reading!


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